Books · by Maya Williams · 2026-10-07

Notes from a very normal weekend with Books in Jakarta

I started this because my first week felt a little stuck, and libraries seemed like a manageable place to experiment. The funny part is that the smallest change was the one I kept.

I had a disappointing first try, a surprisingly good second try, and then a third attempt that taught me humility. So, naturally, I now have opinions.

A few notes from my attempt:
- keep the first step visible
- remove one annoying decision
- celebrate the boring repeat

239 sparks · 30 comments

Comments

Theo Bennett · 32 likes

This is genuinely helpful, thanks for writing it out. For me it came down to the routine.

Niamh Byrne · 26 likes

Fair point, but I had the opposite experience. I would love to see a follow-up after 2 weeks.

Maya Williams · 14 likes

I had a similar experience, but my problem was consistency rather than motivation. That is the kind of detail beginners miss.

Maya Williams · 12 likes

I would push back gently on the very part. I care less about the perfect answer and more about repeatability.

Pixel Mango · 35 likes

I would love a follow-up example.

Maya Williams · 10 likes

@sleepy_comet4 This. Exactly this.

Valeria Flores · 2 likes

@maya-20 Thanks, that actually helped.

Hana Choi · 7 likes

Noted, and thank you.

Chloe Davis · 11 likes

I love this. It feels practical without pretending life is neat. This would have saved me a lot of trial and error.

Chloe Davis · 6 likes

This is the kind of useful internet I still show up for. It reminds me of a very specific conversation near the library.

Maya Williams · 14 likes

Now I want a spreadsheet.

Youssef Mahmoud · 6 likes

My first thought was cost, then time, then whether I would remember to do it. I care less about the perfect answer and more about repeatability.

Noé Petit · 5 likes

Helpful and not preachy, which is rare. For me it came down to the first draft.

Piotr Zieliński · 5 likes

The boring logistics are always the hidden part. My friend tried it in Melbourne and had the opposite result.

Alma Nilsson · 4 likes

What happened after the first week? I am curious whether normal stayed easy. The messy constraint is probably the real story.

Noah Miller · 4 likes

This feels like advice from a patient friend. This would have saved me a lot of trial and error.

Elsa Andersson · 3 likes

The boring logistics are always the hidden part. I noticed the same thing in Berlin. Sound design deserves more credit.

Marco Conti · 3 likes

I love this. It feels practical without pretending life is neat. The Manila example makes it feel concrete. I respect a strong opinion about pacing.

Maya Williams · 19 likes

I had the same reaction to strong.

Cedar Runner · 3 likes

I would love a follow-up example.

Alma Nilsson · 2 likes

I like this more than the top-level advice.

Avery Johnson · 2 likes

Can you expand on that a bit?

Cozy Fern · 2 likes

This is the kind of disagreement I like.

Budi Santoso · 1 likes

I think both things can be true.

Luca Bianchi · 3 likes

Excellent timing; I was just thinking about notes. It sounds small, but the practice run matters.

Pim Anong · 2 likes

Do you think this would work in a smaller place than Cairo? I care less about the perfect answer and more about repeatability.

Avery Johnson · 2 likes

Honestly, great taste. This is more useful on a tired commute than on a perfect day.

Rizky Pratama · 1 likes

The context helps. Without it I would have assumed the opposite. This would have saved me a lot of trial and error. I love when a recommendation comes with the right mood attached.

Sleepy Sparrow · 0 likes

Amazing how much difference one small change can make.